Viennese Nights
by SternAmBauch
Summary: Clara, known under her fake name of Susanne Zotter, gets a nice job offer. Until then, she had only killed Nazis in the depth of the night, all by herself, and now, they are practically begging her to do it all day long. How could she say no?
1. Chapter 1

**AN: I have the greatest amount of respect for Tarantino's work, and I'll try my best to deliver a worthy representation of the characters. I know my way round WW2, which is one of the reason's I've chosen to write this one. Additionally, ****I'm a native German-speaker, so longer German sentences are translated below. I hope you'll enjoy! **

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><p><em><strong>Vienna, Summer 1943<strong>_

It was way past midnight in the dark streets of Vienna, and two figures were walking a bit unsteady through deserted streets. One silhouette wore a hat and what looked like an uniform, whereas the other twirled around, letting the skirt she was wearing soar up around her body. They were laughing and happy. As they rounded a corner, they stopped not too far from one of the few still intact street lanterns and the man pressed the woman against a wall. Her face showed in the light, long and full golden hair surrounding it, making her look like an angel. Her eyes glistened bright blue and she licked her full, red lips. She gazed at him longingly and he started kissing her. Passionately, she swung his legs around his hips and moaned softly. He then grabbed her throat and made her tilt her head back. In a violent gesture, he licked up her face while his other hand was pushing down her blouse to reveal a soft, full breast. Donny Donowitz swallowed. He and Stiglitz were patrolling this area tonight, and so far it had been quiet… until these two came along. The man whispered something to the woman. Donny shot a questioning look at Stiglitz.

"He asked if she liked it when he was rough to her," the German translated. Donny looked back at the scenery; the woman had a dangerous spark in her eyes now. She was pressing herself against the uniformed man like a kitten and whispered something back.

"I do, but you know what I like even more?" Stiglitz translated without taking his eyes off the couple. The man now turned his face to the left, so that the light hit him for the first time. They could make out a stubble beard and a weathered face, scared on the cheek. Grinning, he shot her a questioning look. She moved quickly, and he grunted in pain. Slowly, he sank to the ground and something glistened in the woman's hand. Her exposed breast had something red on it; blood, Donny figured. The man was now lying on the sidewalk, cursing under his breath. She kicked him so he would lie on his back, lifted her skirt and elegantly sat down on him. Seductively, she let the blade run over his cheek and body, stopping above his heart, where she looked him deep in the eye and said with a strong, hatred-filled voice: "Wenn ich zu dir grob sein kann, du mieses Nazi-Schwein!*" With that she thrust the dagger deep into his chest and after flinching one last time, his body went limp. She got up slowly, arranged her blouse, brushed off her skirt, hid the dagger in a holster on her inner thigh and disappeared into the night. Donny stared after her; he was not sure whether this had just really happened or if it was a dream. He turned towards Stiglitz.

"What the fuck just happened?" he asked.

"Looks like we found a real psycho-bitch. One who likes killing Nazis," Stiglitz answered. They exchanged looks before Donny looked back at the corpse under the streetlight. A wide grin appeared on his face.

"Excellent."

Clara woke up the next morning, the sun hitting her face, a huge feeling of accomplishment filling her body. She moaned and got up from bed. On her night desk, the dagger glinted in the bright morning light. She grinned proudly. Heinrich, the one she killed yesterday, was already her 15th Nazi victim. She was slowly getting a reputation, but so far, she was just referred to as the 'Wiener Phantom', because nobody knew that it was in fact a woman killing all those men. After washing and getting dressed, she went down into her little hardware-store and opened up. It had been a tough last years since the beginning of the war, and she was really lucky that her shop had not been destroyed or went bankrupt so far, but still: she like her life. After she had everything prepared, she nestled behind the counter and took out 'Mein Kampf' by Adolf Hitler. To a normal customer it had to look convincing, but what they didn't know was that she only used the cover to disguise what she was truly reading. At the moment, it was 'Alice in Wonderland', one of her favourites. The bell above her entrance door rang and two men entered the shop. She lay the book aside and got up. One was rather small, with handsome features and tiny eyes, a dangerous air to himself, whereas the other was tall and slim, a face as beautiful as an Italian statue. They wore SS-Uniforms and approached her.

"Grüß Gott, meine Herren, wie kann ich Ihnen helfen?" she friendly asked how she could help them.

„Tag das Fräulein, wir hätten ein paar Fragen an Sie," the smaller one answered with saying that they had a few questions. His accent was German and Clara felt panic overcome her. Had they found out? She forced herself to remain calm.

"Aber natürlich doch! Wollen Sie meine Papiere sehen?" she asked if they wanted to see her papers. Just then, her sight fell on the larger one's name, woven into his uniform. An unusual thing to have, in fact, she knew only one who was so extravagant; one she had killed a week ago. Her brow shot up when she read the name of her victim on his chest. Something was wrong. She eyed them suspiciously. A lot of Nazis came into her shop; she usually knew them all, especially when she met them at the pubs in the evenings. These two she had never seen before. The smaller one seemed oddly familiar, though. As if she had seen his face before… suddenly, she remembered. They must know who she was. She gasped shortly, before regaining her continence. Instead of going into the back to get her papers, she walked to the front door and switched the sign saying 'OFFEN' to 'GESCHLOSSEN'. She turned around, a devilish grin appeared on her face. The two man eyed her suspiciously.

"Sagen Sie mir bitte die Wahrheit, oder soll ich sie erraten? Herr Stiglitz?" she asked if they would tell her the truth or if she would have to guess. A crooked smile appeared on Hugo's face. Seconds later, he burst into laughter. The guy next to him smiled as well. Clara was confused.

"Ach, Sie sind mir vielleicht eine, Fräulein...?" he chuckled that she was a handful and asked her name.

"Susanne Zotter," she answered.

"Fräulein Zotter, wie wär's, wenn sie mit Wicki und mir einen kleinen Ausflug machen? Wir haben Sie beobachtet, und wir denken, Sie würden sich bei uns wohlfühlen." Stiglitz asked her to come with him and the other one, Wicki; that they had observed her and thought she would like to join them.

"Wer sind 'wir'?" she asked who exactly they were, even though she already suspected the answer.

"We're the Inglorious Basterds," Wicki said with an American accent. "And we're in need of a woman," he added. Clara stood there for a moment, surprised. She had heard of the small group, but never suspected that they would come to Vienna. Finally, she walked to the counter and grabbed a small bag.

"Let's go!" she said in her perfect British accent and they left.

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><p>They walked through the labyrinth of streets and reached the North of the city, where they disappeared into the Viennese forest by jumping over an unguarded fence. The cities in Austria were guarded, but nevertheless, it was Austria, not Germany, and everything was a bit lazier here, even the soldiers. They marched uphill for another twenty minutes before reaching a clearing with some tents and men lurking around. Clara immediately made out the one who was probably Aldo the Apache, their leader. They all turned and looked at her.<p>

"Well, well, well, look who we have here. Damn it, boys, she's even more of a Belle than you said. She's perfect. Does she speak English?" Aldo first mused and then asked Wicki.

"I do," Clara answered. Aldo's brow shot up in surprise.

"That's interesting. What nationality are you?"

"I'm Austrian."

"A-ha. Where did you learn English?"

"I had a teacher. Before the war."

"Very interesting, honey," he slowly walked over to her and eyed her up and down. "I'm Aldo Raine, and these are my men, the Basterds. Now, you see, the thing is, we need someone we can trust. We know you're a bit of a psycho when it comes to killin' those Nazi-assholes, but are you a team-player?" he mused.

Clara looked him in the eyes. She was not so sure herself. So far, it had worked out great for her alone. But if she would join them, she probably had to tell the whole story. And she would also have to leave Vienna. That was the most crucial part.

"I am loyal. And I hate Nazis," she simply answered.

"Alright, alright. I see I won't get anything out of you easily. Let's relax. Donny, why don't you bring us some of the Whisky we snickered last week? That is, if any of you left some," he instructed and walked over to where they had placed a few logs in a circle. He sat down and gestured her to follow him. Clara's eyes were still on Donny, probably the biggest man she had ever seen, and she was impressed. He had a small grin on his face the whole time she had talked to Aldo and his brown eyes were sparkling. He irritated her.

"So, tell me – Susanne, right? I'll call you Susie, sounds more like a decent name: what is your deal? Why do you hate Nazis? Killed your family?" Aldo asked bluntly while taking out a pocket knife and curving a piece of wood he took from his other pocket. They others had stopped staring and were going along their own business.

"No, they didn't kill them, but forced them to flee. And any person of a genuine mind and heart should hate those monsters. What they're doing is just wrong. They're all like sheep," she said angrily. She couldn't understand why Hitler had gained so much power. Aldo looked surprised.

"Then why are you still here?"

"Because I'm loyal, as I've said. And I promised my grandfather on his deathbed," she answered and for a brief second, Aldo could see the pain behind her eyes.

"Very interesting. Ah, thanks Donny," he said when the Whisky arrived. To Clara's surprise, Donny sat down next to her, all the time staring openly. When she stared back, he didn't seem embarrassed or anything. He just stared with a slight psychopathic look in his eyes. Yes, he really did irritate her. Aldo opened the bottle, took a deep sip and handed it to her. She took it without hesitation and gulped down some of the burning liquid. Vodka was her favourite, but Whisky was nice for a change. Immediately after she had lowered the bottle from her lips, a big hand enclosed hers and snatched the bottle from it. She flinched and found her face only inches away from that Donny guy. Damn it! What was his problem?

"So, where were we?" Aldo continued. "Ah, right. Your motifs. Tell me more about you, right now, I don't really have a lot to chew on, honey."

"I run a small hardware-store in the 5th district of Vienna. Lots of Nazis come and buy stuff, probably think they have a shot with someone like me. I play charming of course, but only as long as I can get them in a dark alley," she said, grinning now. The thought of killing those assholes always cheered her up. She was beginning to question her sanity, but this were war-times. Everyone acted insane.

"How old are you?" Donny interfered. She shot him a surprised look. His voice was deep, yet playful.

"Twenty-four in December. Why does it matter?" she asked irritated.

"Because we don't wanna risk a frikkin kid's life. You don't look that old," Aldo said.

"With make-up I do," she defended her appearance.

"Doesn't matter, we're more interested in your skills anyhow. We need a female to join our group. The whole 'dressing in German uniforms'-thing is getting a bit old. Wicki over there was shot in the shoulder the last time because they suspected something. Clara snorted.

"So you need me as bait? Wow, what a job offer," she mocked sarcastically. She got a soft kick from her right when Donny punched her.

"Let him finish," he instructed her. She stared at him in disbelief. How dare he command her like that!

"Donny, please, the Lady is just sceptical, that's all. There's more to it. We're planning something. And we need a convincing German-speaking lady for it. You interested?" Aldo asked.

"That depends. I can't go too public," she said.

"Why not?" Donny asked.

"Because," she snapped back at him. He annoyed her.

"Don't argue, we'll talk about that later. Right now, we need to see whether you're first of all suitable and second willing to do it. I ain't forcin' nobody to do stuff they don' wanna do," his southern drawl came back strong.

"What do you have in mind?" Clara asked. It was risky, but she was interested. A smile spread across Aldo's face.

"Omar! Bring them forth!" he shouted at a guy standing on the other end of the clearing. He quickly disappeared and came back shortly after with two German soldiers, prisoners. They got up and walked into the middle to meet them. When she came closer, Clara recognised one of them. He had been to her store a few times, obviously thinking he had fallen in love with a nice little Aryan girl like her. His eyes widened when he saw her.

"Du kooperierst mit diesen Schweinen? Wie kannst du nur, du Nutte!+" he screamed how on earth she could work with the Basterds and insulted her. Clara reacted instinctively, she took a quick step forward and hit the kneeling man hard in the face with her right foot.

"Beschimpf mich noch einmal, du Hurenkind, und ich mach dir mehr Luftlöcher als ein Baum Blätter hat," she gave back. Hugo and Wicki laughed amused. She sure knew how to curse.

"You've got balls, girl, but we need them alive for now," Aldo came up beside her, a smile on his face. He liked her intensity. Clara turned away from the men and took a few steps back, joining the circle the other Basterds had formed. Aldo began pacing up and down in front of the two prisoners, starting off a great monologue while Wicki translated. He basically told them how crazy his troop was and that they would not make it out alive if they didn't cooperate. He introduced Donny, the Bear Jew – why hadn't Clara recognised him as that before? - and offered their lives in exchange for information. Reinhard, the soldier who Clara knew was a real pain in the ass. He refused every negotiation and said he'd rather die now than being shot as a traitor. He also tried to influence the other one, obviously a friend of him, who seemed a bit unsure about what to do. After a few more minutes of insult-exchange, Aldo almost undetectably nodded to Stiglitz, who approached Reinhard from behind and slit his throat before he even knew what was going on. The other prisoner stared at the corpse in shock and began trembling all over. Aldo walked towards Clara and patted her shoulder.

"Time to show us what you can. Get as much out of him as possible, then do whatever you want," he instructed and left for his tent. The others eyed her expectantly. She quickly weighed her opportunities and decided to go easy with the scared little fellow. A soothing smile on her face, she stepped to him and began helping him up while telling him in German that the men were so rough sometimes, but that he did not need to be afraid, she would take care of him. He shot her a thankful smile and she escorted him to the edge of the clearing. On the way, she passed the Bear Jew.

"Be a nice bear and get us some water, will you?" she teased. He grinned at her again and cocked his head.

"Only if I get to watch." Wow, he was one particular nasty kind of psychopath.

"He's afraid of you, he won't tell me anything," Clara said with a sidewards glance at the young man, who was looking very afraid at Donny. He leaned in closer and, inches from her face, he whispered to her.

"Say pretty please, doll."

Clara was on the brink of exploding, but she didn't wanna blow the chances with the Basterds, so she closed in even more and made big, sad, helpless girly eyes.

"Oh, please, Mr. Bear Jew, come to my aid!" she hushed. He looked surprised, but chuckled as he went off to get what she needed. Clara sat down with the young soldier and they got into talking. He was more than willing to tell her everything, obviously glad to be able to chat to someone not as dangerous as the men. If only he knew...

Surprisingly, Donny brought the water and left again immediately, but she had the feeling that he was just at the other side of the tree, eavesdropping. She talked with Albert, the young man, for a very long time, and she actually began sympathising with him. But she could not let him go, it was too risky. After about half an hour, she shot a dashing smile at him and thanked for his cooperation. He genuinely smiled back. She offered him a hug and he held on tight to her before everything went lifeless. Clara almost felt bad when taking her dagger out of his back.

"I'm impressed. Who knew you could be such a stone cold killer after spending so much time with a man. You're in," Aldo's voice suddenly came from behind a tree where he had witnessed the whole scene. He looked pleased. "Come to my tent in 10 minutes and we'll discuss the details." He vanished. Clara got up and straightened her clothes when someone stepped behind her. Of course it was him. Her anger came back. He really got on her nerves.

She looked up into those dark, glistening eyes and held the stare. To her surprise, he brought one hand up to stroke her cheek. She could feel his hard skin or her delicate one and did not know whether she was disgusted or aroused by what he did.

"I'm gonna make you mine, kitten. Whether you like it or not," he stated. All Clara saw was red and before she even knew what she was about to do, she had hit him straight in the face wis her fist, which immediately felt as if it were on fire. He had hardly moved, but when he looked at her again, she saw something dangerous in his face. For the first time, she got a bit afraid.

"Bitch," he said to her.

"Psychopath," she replied and just walked away. This was gonna get interesting.

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><p><strong>Translations:<strong>

***I like being tough to you, you Nazi-pig!**

**+You're cooperating with those pigs? How could you, you lousy whore!**

**AN: So, that's my first outline for the story, I'm gonna be on holiday for a week from now on, and I hope when I get back I'll have some reviews! Please let me know what you guys think! I'd really appreciate it! Thanks!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Alright, alright. Thanks for the reviews and favourites! I really like writing this story and I'm glad that I have some readers ;) This chapter is a bit short and probably not my best, but you always need stuff like that to get a story going, and trust me, the next chapters are gonna be more eventful! Please R&R! Thanks so much! - Oh, and as always: Translations at the end!**

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><p>It had been about an hour since Clara crawled into Aldo's tent to discuss the details of their little arrangement, and she already felt a little bit comfortable with him. He reminded her of her grandfather in many ways, so it was hard not to trust him. They immediately agreed on her continuing to work in her shop as if nothing had happened, and hiding some of the Basterds in her apartment. It was extremely hard for them to sneak in and out of the city every night, but when they had her shop as an in-town headquarters, things would get a lot easier. When the time came to move on, they would then discuss further details but until then, she would act upon Aldo's commands.<p>

"Alright, hun. Now that all the organisational parts are discussed, why don't we talk about your personal life?" he began while smoking his large, Indian pipe. Clara immediately stiffened.

"I'd rather not," she said uneasy.

"What are you hiding?"

"I just don't wanna talk about it, okay? It does not matter here." Aldo eyed her suspiciously and leant forward, closer to her.

"I don't like secrets, especially, if they're not mine. At one point or the other, it has to come out, and I'd rather you'd tell me now before it happens by accident," he offered with a dark tone in his voice. Clara knew that she was playing with fire. She didn't want to piss him off that early, but if only it was her secret to tell… If the wrong people found out, her whole family would be in danger. She sighed and looked at Aldo. Could she trust him?

"I will tell you, but only because I think you are a good-hearted man. You're fighting for the right things. There's only one thing I demand: absolute discretion. You can not tell anybody, promise me?" He looked surprised.

"Damn it, Belle, what are you hiding that you are so cautious about? I can promise you to be discrete, but I have to tell Donny, he's second in command, and he needs to know, in case anything happens to me," he proposed. Clara's expression changed. Aldo immediately saw that she and Donny would have their problems, but so far, he wasn't sure if it was attraction or repulsion. As if on cue, Donny's head appeared through the entrance.

"Aldo, we picked up a civilian lurking around the camp, he claims he's not a Nazi, but we're not so sure," he reported. Aldo immediately got up.

"Then let's interrogate. Susie, you're coming with," he instructed and they left the tent. To Clara's surprise, Donny offered her his hand when she crawled out, but she refused to let him help her. He just grinned.

They walked into the middle again where a slender body was kneeling on the ground, his back facing them. Stiglitz turned him around and Clara gasped for air.

"Constantin! She almost screamed and ran towards the man. Falling down on her knees, she flung herself into his arms and hugged him tightly while tears were running down her cheeks. They loosened again and looked at each other joyously and genuine smiles spread across their faces.

"Aber wie kann das sein? Ich dachte, Ihr ward geflohen, Hoheit?" the man said. Stiglitz and Wicki looked at each other, surprised. Did he really just say 'her majesty'?

"Aber nein doch, Constantin, ich würde Österreich doch nie aufgeben," she answered, still crying. The man looked in awe while she helped him get up only to knee down in front of her again, bowing his head.

"Eine echte Habsburgerin. Lasst mich Euch wieder dienen, Prinzessin Clara," he said. Clara was so moved, she could only manage a nod. Too late she remembered that some of the Basterds spoke German. Her secret was out. Panic-striken, she turned around and her eyes searched for Stiglitz. He smiled broadly whereas Wicki, standing next to him, looked shocked. Slowly, he approached her and fell down on his knees as well.

"Eure Hoheit. Meine Loyalität lag immer schon bei der Monarchie. Ich werde Euch bis zum Ende folgen, " he said.

„Okay, stop all this crap! What's going on? Someone translate, please!" Aldo took over the conversation. He was pissed because he didn't understand a word they were saying, and something big just happened. Clara turned around, a sad look in her eyes.

"My real name is Clara Sophie Francesca Habsburg. I am the eldest daughter of crown prince Franz Ferdinand and if Austria were still a monarchy, I would be queen," she simply said. They all looked shocked.

"Come again? You're a royal?" Aldo asked. Clara nodded.

"My family fled at the beginning of this war, but I promised to stay behind undercover to keep an eye on things. I have been presented to the public when I was three years old, but not since, so nobody knows how I look like. But this has to stay a secret. No Nazi can know!" she emphasised the importance of her words with strong gestures, shooting majestic looks at every Basterd.

"And who's he?" Aldo asked with a look at Constantin. Clara looked at the man softly.

"He was my butler, but more of a friend than a servant," she said and took Constantin's hand. They looked at each other happily. Donny let out a short sniff of disapproval.

"I can't say that I like it, but it'll sure come in handy. Everybody go along your own business! Princess, we're gonna have a serious word now. Come on!" Aldo said and they sat down once again. "Now, what is he doing around here?" Aldo asked, gesturing towards Constantin. Clara chatted away with him quickly before translating.

"He's hiding not far from here, along with a few other former servants of the Habsburgs and rebels. They have continuously moved over the past 5 years, this is the first time they're near Vienna again," she said.

"Are they fighters or just refugees?" Aldo asked.

"Both. They have a few former members of the Guard with them, but their goal is to stay hidden, not to fight," Clara said. Aldo nodded.

"Alright. Tell him to bring these men here, maybe some of 'em will be useful."

"What? You can't expect them to fight for you when they have their own people to protect!" Clara argued.

"Listen, princess, normally, we would have killed your little friend here, just in case. It's dangerous for us if we keep even one person alive who knows who we are and where we camp, but we're gonna make an exception for you. All we ask in return is some sort of 'payment'. Maybe one of them's interested – who knows?" Aldo answered almost amused.

She stared at him angrily, her eyes hard and dangerous. "I'm gonna go with him, but I can't promise to return with any men willing to change groups," she said harshly. Aldo leaned back, stretched out his legs and scratched his chin, totally at ease with the whole situation. He respected her for what she did, but her logic was something foreign to him. Women.

"Donny!" he shouted. The Bear Jew appeared in an instant. "Escort our little princess here and make sure she comes back with one or two useful warriors. And don't hurt the butler, understand?" Aldo added when he saw the look Donny was giving Constantin. He nodded and they got up to leave. They marched north and Clara and her butler were happily chatting the whole time while Donny trotted along behind them, making sure no one would hear or cross them. After about 20 minutes, they came towards a steep wall of rock with a little cave hidden at the bottom. Clara started cheering when she recognised some of the faces from her former life at the palace upon the group of about 20 people. She embraced everyone and explained what she had been doing since the Anschluss. Donny kept in the background the whole time, earning suspicious looks from the others. Clara had not mentioned the Basterds so far, she had only told them that she was part of another rebel's group and that Constantin ran into them by accident. Right after they had left, Donny instructed her and the butler not to say anything about them, just to be sure. After about half an hour, he appeared next to her and grabbed her arm. She tried to jerk it away, but his grip was like iron.

"Enough with the catching-up, time to go, hun," he lowered his voice. She instinctively wanted to slap him again; it was okay for Aldo to call her stupid nicknames, but she would not tolerate him doing the same. She was a royal, for fuck's sake – no common American should treat her that way. But then again – she did not like to think hierarchically. It was a coincidence that she was born a princess; she could have also been a common peasant. Clara decided to direct her anger towards the Nazis and took a deep breath. She walked over to three men who were former royal guards. One of them was her personal bodyguard, Heinrich, and she was truly happy to see that he made it. When her family fled, they managed to take as many servants with them as possible, but some stayed behind, and he was one of them. She quickly explained the situation and watched their faces change. One was against it from the first moment on, but Heinrich and Erich, the other one, were willing to come with them to talk. Heinrich even spoke a little bit of English, and Clara began to play with the idea of him joining the Basterds. They said goodbye to the others and began their way back. Clara chatted a bit with Heinrich, but not as much as with Constantin. Donny was pleased. When they arrived at the camp, Clara asked Stiglitz to translate for Aldo, because she was more than hungry. All the others had eaten already, but she didn't have any breakfast and now it was almost 5pm. Aldo told Wicki to bring her something and she sat down, back to a big trunk and silently chewed on some bread and smoked meat. She took in the whole scene in front of her. Some of Aldo's men were practicing one-on-one fights, whereas others sat around the fire, telling dirty jokes. Aldo and Stiglitz had retreated with the two Guards in his tent, besides the cheers of the fighting men and the laughter of the others, everything was peaceful. She leant back against the trunk which pressed hard against her back, closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Somehow, she suspected that the quiet part of her life was over. This was just another beginning...

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><p><strong>Translations:<strong>

Aber wie kann das sein? Ich dachte, Ihr ward geflohen, Hoheit? - But how can that be? I thought you fled, your majesty?

Aber nein doch, Constantin, ich würde Österreich doch nie aufgeben! - But, no, Constanting! I could never surrender Austria!

Eine echte Habsburgerin. Lasst mich Euch wieder dienen, Prinzessin Clara! - A true Habsburg. Let me serve you again, princess Clara!

Eure Hoheit. Meine Loyalität lag immer schon bei der Monarchie. Ich werde Euch bis zum Ende folgen! - Your majesty! My loyality always belonged to the Monarchy. I will follow you until the end.


	3. Chapter 3

**Aaaaand the next chapter, almost twice as long as chapter two; hopefully, you'll enjoy it more ;)**  
><strong>as you might've seen by now, I'm incorporating real history here, the one of the Habsburg family; I do not intend to interprete anything into the real course of history, my work is completely fictional (which shows by the inaccuracy of dates - I had some troubles with Clara's grandfather, he actually would have already been dead when she was born, but just pretend that he lived a bit longer). <strong>

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><p>Clara felt the tender morning sun tickle her nose and she nestled deeper into the cosy covers of her bed. She inhaled the crisp air coming in from the window and instinctively snuggled closer against the warm body behind her, drawing the strong arm wrapped around her stomach closer. She knew it was Donny, and she felt so safe. He nestled his mouth deeper against her neck and tenderly kissed and caressed until she was fully awake. With a big laugh, she turned around and he grinned at her, positioning her body on top of his, cupping her exposed breasts and stroking along her belly until his hand found the most sensitive spot on her body. With a loud gasp for air, Clara woke up. Cheeks flushed, she quickly checked if she really was alone in her bed. She was. Letting out a deep sigh, she got up and felt her muscles ache. She had returned late last night, and with her came Stiglitz and a shy young fellow named Utivich. They would be the first ones to use her home as a new base for their operations, and Clara was happy about this choice. Wicki was Austrian, after all, and she liked him; not only because he declared his loyalty to her, but because he seemed calm and strong. Utivich on the other hand was the complete opposite of what you would expect a Basterd to be. He was always nice, thanked her a lot and generally showed manners which she had not detected in Aldo or any other Basterd so far. She was just a bit worried about his physical state. He was naturally slim and petite, but his skin had turned almost white and he looked like he could use some good food and rest. Well, luckily for them, she had excellent connections, and so it was possible for her to get all the good stuff, even in war-times.<p>

After she got dressed, she went into her living room to see the two of them snoring away on her sofa. They had decided not to go out after they had returned, as many guards were patrolling the city that evening. Clara went into the kitchen and made coffee for them. The scent woke Wicki up and he came into the kitchen, hair beautifully messed up by sleep, and still looking like a little boy. He sat down and she placed a cup of coffee in front of him. He smiled thankfully and took a deep sip. Clara went downstairs and opened her shop. During the days, the boys would lurk around in her storage room, which was behind the counter, separated by a door and a mirror which was see-through from the inside out. Clara worked a lot in that room and she didn't like it when she didn't know who had come in, that's why she had installed that little extravagancy. On the mirror-side, she had installed some wooden shelves, so that the huge mirror would not be too suspicious. She heard them settle in the room about 20 minutes later and quickly said good morning to Utivich. They did not come one minute too early, because as soon as she had withdrawn her head from the room, the bell rang and a captain entered the shop. Clara sighed unintentionally. Hauptmann Josef Silberschmied. One particularly nasty worshipper of hers. She forced herself to smile admiringly and play the brave little Aryan girl Susanne Zotter.

"Guten Morgen, Fräulein Zotter, wie wunderschön Sie heute doch wieder sind!" he greeted her exuberantly and grabbed her hand to plant a moist kiss on it. It was more than hard for Clara not to vomit, but she was a good actress. She played coy and naïve and they came to her like flies into a spider's web. After they exchanged some banalities, he became all clingy again and tried to persuade her to go out with him tonight. She had declined a few times now, only because she had bigger fish on her rod, but now he could be a possible victim. After some consideration, she agreed and he promised to pick her up at 7PM. Whistling happily, he left. Clara smiled to herself. If only he knew that this would be his last day on this earth…

* * *

><p>"I don't care that you think they would need you of all people, fact is, you're not going, Donny! I need you to train the new one, not watch over our little princess, just because you've fallen for her!" Aldo almost screamed at the Bear Jew for what felt like the third time already during their silly discussion. He could imagine why Donny wanted to see Clara again, but he would not let him. He was his strongest warrior, and Aldo would not risk losing him due to a woman.<p>

"Oh, come on, Aldo! Don't tell me you haven't thought of that hot piece of meat lying next to you! We all have needs, and I'd rather score that one before Wicki does," Donny argued. Aldo lost it for a second. She was beautiful, yes, but she could easily be his daughter. That is, if he would have gotten a girl pregnant at 16. He forced himself to concentrate and find a way to convince Donny to let it go.

"Wicki's not gonna do anything to her, he's got too much respect," he answered.

"Yeah, didn't we all think so when we met that nun a few months ago? Remember what he did to her?" Donny said. Aldo flinched. Indeed, Wicki, as calm as he may seem, had a way with the ladies. A strong enough way even to seduce a nun.

"Damn it, Donny, enough!" he bellowed. "You're staying here, and that's the end of the story! You'll see her soon enough, and if Wicki wants her, he was probably already successful. Now get back to teaching those Austrian cowards how to fight Basterd-style!" he commanded and after earning a more than angry look, Donny finally gave in. "Damn that woman!" Aldo thought to himself while he stomped towards his tent.

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><p>It was a lazy day for Clara, besides the captain, only 3 other customers came in, all with intentions to buy some hardware, not to charm her. In the hours in between, Clara sat with Wicki and Utivich and they silently played cards or chatted almost inaudibly, always fearing that an entering customer would hear more than Suanne Zotter's voice.<p>

Clara closed the shop at 6 and went upstairs to get dressed for her big date. She put on a long, black and red dress; one she knew would stir the officer's blood so that he would vanish willingly into the next dark alley with her. She curled her blond hair, put on some semi-expensive jewellery (nothing too pompous, or someone would get suspicious) and hid her dagger in the holster on her thigh. Wicki chose that exact moment to enter her room, and while every other man would have probably turned around to let her lower her skirt; he only leaned against the doorframe and grinned appreciatively. Clara could have been pissed, but she had no problem showing her body, and so she quietly went along her business.

"You are aware of the fact that you're looking at the private parts of a princess?" she teased him.

"Mhm. Your highness," he just gave back with that husky voice of his. She laughed and went to him.

"Don't try anything with me, Wicki, I am as hard to crack as Aldo is to get into a Nazi-uniform," she said and left the room, all the while knowing that his eyes were firmly fixed on her behind. Oh, she liked Wicki.

Josef waited with a nice Nazi-car outside her shop at exactly 7PM. Clara grinned when she recognised the car which actually belonged to brigadier Heinz Feldmann, a superior to Silberschmied. She grinned even more when she imagined how Josef must have begged Heinz to lend him that car. She got in and they drove away to a nice little restaurant in the first district. Clara was very happy with this choice, seeing as there were nearly no other guests except the two of them. The less people saw them together, the better. After about 3 hours and extensive flirting, she convinced him to stay at a hotel nearby, and he sent his driver home. She had made an arrangement with Wicki and Utivich, these two would meet her at the hotel and they would kill Josef together. He got clingier with every minute, touching her roughly all over her body. The 500m to the hotel proved to be a real challenge, Clara knew that he would have actually liked to take her in the streets. It took all her effort to get into the hotel, and when they had their room, she quickly trapped the curtain in the window, signalling the Basterds which room they were in. Josef was already getting naked, his disgusting pig eyes lingering on her body. Clara decided to play dominant and convinced him to let her tie his hands to the bed. Slowly, she took a few steps away from it and began to undress herself seductively. She just needed a few more minutes before Wicki and Utivich would arrive. The captain was not even surprised when he saw that she was wearing the dagger at her thighs. He even congratulated her for 'taking the appropriate measures in such dangerous times' and Clara had to concentrate very hard not to laugh at him. At that exact moment, someone knocked at the door. Without hesitation, she opened it, ignoring Josef's commands not to. To her surprise, Aldo stood in front of her, accompanied by Wicki.

"Well, hello there, Belle; nice of you to dress up so pretty for us," he teased her and let his eyes linger on her underwear. As planned, she immediately started panicking. Their plan was for her to act like she did not know what was going on, so that she could tell the authorities that the famous Basterds murdered Josef. Wicki grabbed her and held her wriggling body while she half-heartedly tried to escape. She could feel his breath on the back of her neck and too late, she saw that this might not have been the best of ideas for her libido. He held her a little bit tighter than necessary, but Clara didn't even want to complain. She enjoyed it immensely.

Aldo toyed with Josef, told him the usual story of how much the Basterds hate the Nazis, and so on and so forth, before he finally killed the captain who was squealing like a pig. The moment his body went limp, Wicki let go of Clara and she felt a little bit sorry for that. Aldo wiped his hands, put away the scalp and faced her.

"Nice work, princess. Now, you do know that it has to look convincing?" he asked. Clara just nodded. They had talked about it before. "Alright, then, I swore never to hurt a woman, so Wicki here will have the honour. I'll meet you outside," he said to Wicki and left. Clara looked at the tall man. He looked at her apologetically.

"Oh, come on, Wicki! Hit me! I can take it!" she instructed him. He was still hesitant. She quickly grabbed his hand and guided it along her stomach forcefully, so that his nails left scratches. She shot him a challenging look; he gasped for air and looked at the tiny blood-drops dripping out of the wounds. "Wicki, this is a royal order. Hurt me!" she almost screamed. He seemed incapable of doing it.

"I am so sorry, your majesty. I can't do it," he mumbled, obviously ashamed.

"That's exactly what I thought," a deep voice came from the window. Clara turned around in shock, only to see the Bear Jew crawling in. "Aldo thought you might back out, go now, I'll handle it," he said to Wicki who shot a quick look at Clara and kissed her hand.

"Es tut mir sehr leid, Prinzessin. Aber so etwas Schönes kann ich nicht verletzen," he whispered and she smiled graciously. Clara nodded and he left. She turned around and faced Donny again. He had a demonic grin on his face, and Clara panicked slightly. What if he hurt her too bad? He was the Bear Jew, after all, and right now, she did not know if he liked or hated her. He stepped closer and she felt her heartbeat go faster. Slowly, he brought up one hand and stroked across the scratches on her stomach. She didn't flinch.

"Nobody's gonna believe that a Basterd did this chicken shit to you. It has to look real, princess." Clara shot him a spiteful look.

"Then do it, or don't you have the guts to hit a woman?" she challenged him. His look became soft for a moment and he put his hand around her hips to draw her closer, so that their faces were only inches apart.

"Trust me, I do. And right now there's nothing I would want more than to spank your cheeky little ass. But this is tough love, hun. It's gonna hurt," he whispered.

"I'm not afraid. My body will heal," Clara answered. For a moment, she thought he would say the thing she did not dare say, namely that her mind will probably never do the same, but he remained silent. To her surprise, he tenderly kissed her forehead.

"I'm sorry, kitten. I'll make it quick." Without further warning, Clara felt a throbbing pain on her hips where his fist had found its first goal. She closed her eyes and hoped that it would be over soon. He placed two more strikes on her legs and shoulder before he knelt down in front of her. She expected a stone cold look in his eyes, but she saw that this was hard for him, too. Damn it! It would have been a lot easier if he were just a machine.

"One more thing, hun. I can't spare your face, it would look suspicious," he said in a heartbreaking voice. She only managed a nod and the next instant, he punched her a black eye. For the first time, Clara screamed. It hurt like hell. She felt his hand enclose her and he pulled her closer to him.

"I'm so sorry, but I have my orders," he whispered in her hair and she could not hold back the tears. Why did he have to be so compassionate? Could he not just hit her like so many men before him did and let it be? Involuntary, she nestled against his shoulders and clinged to him like there was no tomorrow. After what felt like an eternity, she finally calmed down and drew back. "You alright?" he asked softly. Clara managed a small smile.

"I'll be fine," she said with a low voice.

"Quite a breakdown you had there, huh?" he asked.

"I know. It normally never happens. Maybe it was just too much," Clara admitted.

"Don't worry, I won't tell," he assured her and she did not like his words at all. She never intended to show her weakness to even one of the Basterds, and now it had happened so quickly. She was sure that it would not have happened with any other member, it was just Donny that made her feel so superior, so vulnerable. She was still half sitting on his lap, when he picked her up and carried her over to the bed. Josef was lying in a pool of blood, and looked even more disgusting than he did alive. Donny smiled mischievously and said "Time to get de-sensitised, princess." Before she could even say "No" he had tossed her on the bloody bed.

"What the fuck? You asshole!" she shouted while Donny held his stomach from laughing.

"You should see you right now, hun. It's hilarious," he said and laughed harder. Without thinking, she jumped up from the bed and lunged at him. Because he was so big, she did not manage to bring him to the ground, but she did score an unexpected punch in his stomach that knocked the wind out of him for a moment. Like a maniac, she tried to hurt him, but he was too good a fighter, and she did not really do much damage. The only thing she did destroy was part of her underwear and after a few minutes, she had to stop because she needed all her hands to keep the last pieces together. Donny had stopped laughing and his eyes became intense. It had been funny before, but looking at her hot body, covered in blood and bruises, those tiny pieces of fabric revealing more than they should, he immediately became hard. That was the stuff the Bear Jew's dreams were made of. Clara noticed the change and felt a little helpless. On one hand, she wanted to jump at him again, but only this time to kiss him and beg him to make love to her; on the other, she wanted to get away from him as soon as possible. A knock on the door saved both of them.

"Hauptmann Silberschmied? Ist alles in Ordnung?" the receptionist asked if everything were okay. He must have heard her scream. Quickly, Clara shooed Donny out the window and let herself fall to the ground in front of the bed. She obtained an especially gruesome position and sobbed heartbreakingly. In an instant, the door burst open and the receptionist, accompanied by two Nazi-policemen stormed the room. They checked on Josef first before their attention switched to her, which made Clara even angrier. Stupid Nazi-pigs only paid attention to a woman as long as she was beautiful. One of them grabbed her by shoulders and turned her around violently.

"Was ist hier passiert, Schlampe? Hast du ihn umgebracht?" they yelled at her. Clara wanted to yell back, but she just shook her head and sobbed more.

"Komm schon, Harald, schau das Mädel doch an, die ist hier auch das Opfer," the other policeman tried to soothe him down. The furious one left the room and the receptionist fetched some clothes for Clara, who was being brought to the station in an instant.

The next few hours were pure hell; most of the men were nice, but some were rough and suspicious towards Clara. Her papers were bulletproof; she knew that, so she wasn't afraid that they would find out her real identity. In the end, they believed her when she said that tough-looking, English-speaking men had entered their hotel room and killed Josef in front of her before raping and beating her. Thankfully, they didn't check the raping part; she looked bad enough for them as it were. The nice one from before drove her home and promised to check on her over the next few days. She thanked him and made her way to her bedroom, shaking from head to toe.

"There you are! Is everything alright?" she heard Wicki say the moment she entered the living room. In long strides, he hurried to her and cupped her face in his hands. He looked more than worried and was shocked by how beaten her face looked. Clara managed to nod.

"I'm fine. They believed my story. I'm really tired now, I just want to sleep," she mumbled and Wicki stepped out of her way. She quickly went into the bathroom and took a shower to wash all the dried blood off. When she went into her room, she found Utivich waiting for her.

"I know you're tired, but let me just disinfect your wounds," he said and searched through a big brown bag he had brought along.

"Are you a doctor?" she asked surprised. He smiled shyly.

"No, but I sort of take care of all the injuries that occur in our group. You quickly get the hang of it," he said and started dabbling at her scratches with a brown liquid that hurt like hell. "I know it stings, but it'll speed up the process. Aldo brought it, claims it's an ancient Indian medicine. From what I know, it's boric ointment," he chatted along. In a few minutes, he was done and left her alone. Clara changed into her nightgown and walked over to her mirror. She had avoided looking at herself, fearing that it would be too much for her, and when she saw her reflection, she gasped for air. Who was that terrible woman in the mirror? Speechless, she brought her hand to her face and watched the stranger in the mirror do the same. While she felt along her bruises and scratches, silent tears ran down her cheeks. Only 5 years ago, life had been easy. And now? She had lost almost everything. She sank to the ground sobbing. If only her grandfather were still alive… Clara missed him so much. All her cousins and siblings had found it hard to break through the facade of the great Franz Joseph I of Austria, but she had always been his favourite. Fearless as she was, she would storm into his office any time she wanted and he always had time for her. She was only seven when he died, but she promised to stay true to Austria, no matter what happened. A clicking noise at the window startled her, and she got to her feet when she saw a huge figure crawling in. in panic, she searched for the next thing to defend herself only when she heard the man curse.

"Damn it, princess, couldn't you chose an apartment with a bigger window?" Donny said. Clara sighed relieved. She had thought her end had come.

"What do you want, Donny? I just want to be alone!" she snarled at him.

"Do you really?" he teased, but as soon as he saw how serious she looked, his expression changed from playful to earnest. "Here's your dagger," he handed her the weapon he had taken with him earlier.

"Thank you," Clara said softly and laid it on her night desk. He stepped up behind her and when she turned around; his face was only inches from hers.

"I can hardly look at what I've done to you, hun. I'm so sorry," he whispered.

"Stop apologising. I can take it, I'm a big girl," she said dryly.

"I know, that's why I'm so attracted to you. Come here," he said and before she knew what happened, he had pulled her into a passionate embrace, kissing her cautiously. At first, she wanted to withdraw, but his lips tasted too good to let go. She deepened their kiss and he lifted her up so she could wrap her legs around his hips. Their kiss got wilder and wilder before she involuntarily grunted with pain when he squeezed one of her bruises by accident.

"Oh, sorry. Didn't mean to hurt you. Again," he said playfully. A small smile appeared on her face and she unwrapped her legs.

"You got what you wanted. Now leave. One step at a time, Donny," she said while re-arranging her clothes. He chuckled and went over to the window. Before he crawled outside, he turned around and announced:

"There's a lot more that I want from you, princess, but I'm afraid you'll have to work for it." He winked and the next moment, he was gone. That night, despite all the terror that happened, Clara fell asleep with a smile on her lips.

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><p><strong>Please review! I need more feedback! Thanks :)<strong>

**Translations:**

Guten Morgen, Fräulein Zotter, wie wunderschön Sie heute doch wieder sind! – Good morning, Miss Zotter, how beautiful you are again today!

Es tut mir sehr leid, Prinzessin. Aber so etwas Schönes kann ich nicht verletzen. – I am truly sorry, princess, but I can not hurt something that beautiful.

Hauptmann Silberschmied? Ist alles in Ordnung? – Captain Silberschmied? Is everything okay?

Was ist hier passiert, Schlampe? Hast du ihn umgebracht? – What happened, whore? Did you kill him?

Komm schon, Harald, schau das Mädel doch an, die ist hier auch das Opfer! – Come on Harald, just look at the girl, she's a victim, too.


	4. Chapter 4

**YES! I did it - finally. Sorry for the delay, but here's the new one. Quite dramatic, I think. And I plan on posting another one soon. I have changed the system for the translations once again, now it's with numbers, and the translations are below. Please tell me if you like it that way.**

**Also, a new chapter for my VD-fanfic Crooked Hearts is in the making as well... to be published tomorrow or the day after. thanks so much for hanging around, and I hope you'll enjoy!**

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><p>Not even the Gestapo was able to keep the story of Josef's murder hidden, and it was reported on the front page of next day's newspaper. Clara was slightly panicking. Her name was not mentioned in the newspaper, but there were many SS-officers who knew that she was with him when he was murdered. Next thing in the morning, she sent Wicki and Utivich home, because she feared that the Nazis would search her house. She was right indeed, because at 9 AM sharp, they kicked down her front door and a bunch of soldiers stormed into her home. Prepared for that event, Clara had hidden all her English books and armoury. She managed to look shocked and anxious while their boss paraded through her shop. She had never seen such a person, and when he looked at her, she didn't have to fake the anxiety anymore. With slow steps, the grey-haired, somewhat handsome looking man came over to her counter. She could instantly detect that his prim and proper looks were just another weapon, along with his smug grin. His speciality was to deceive his victims. He tricked them into false security, and when they made one false step, he would eat them alive if possible.<p>

1 "Fräulein Zotter, wie ich annehme?" he asked non-chalant, and when Clara nodded, he grabbed her hand and kissed it softly. 2 "Nun wird mir klar, warum meine Kollegen so von Ihnen schwärmen. Sie sind zauberhaft schön."

3 "Dankeschön, Herr Oberst. Sie werden mein Haus doch hoffentlich nicht komplett auf den Kopf stellen?" she thanked him and asked about her home.

4 „Aber nein, nein. Meine Männer sehen sich nur ein bisschen um. Ihre Papiere sind makellos, und sie haben einen sehr guten Ruf. Das hier ist nur Routine," he tried to soothe her nerves, all the while still holding her hand. 5 "Oh, wie unfreundlich von mir, ich habe mich ja noch gar nicht vorgestellt – Oberst Hans Landa, zu Ihren Diensten," he introduced himself, made a gracious bow and kissed her hand again. Clara was becoming more jittery with every second. He was more than scary.

6 "Herr Oberst, Durchsuchung abgeschlossen, wir haben nichts Verdächtiges gefunden," a young soldier suddenly came up to them and reported that they haven't found anything suspicious.

7 "Ach, wie schade, ich habe so gehofft, noch etwas mit Ihnen zu tratschen, Fräulein Zotter. Wie wär's, wenn wir das heute abend bei einem netten Essen nachholen? Ich habe ohnehin noch ein paar Fragen an Sie," the Colonel expressed his regret and immeditately invited her to dine with him this evening, not really leaving her any other choice but to say yes.

8 "Sie sind zu gütig, Herr Oberst. Es wäre mir eine Ehre," she agreed.

9 „Sehr gut, ich schicke Ihnen um 19 Uhr einen Wagen vorbei. Ich freue mich sehr. Auf Wiedersehen, Fräulein Zotter," he kissed her hand again and left along with his men. As soon as he was out of sight, Clara crouched down against her counter and hugged herself tightly, her breath going fast. He didn't seem like the kind of man who was easily deceived. He would find out about her secret. Only now, she had two. What should she do?

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><p>"Donny! My tent! Now!" Aldo shouted through the whole clearing after talking to Wicki and Utivich, who had just returned from Clara's. They had lingered around her house long enough to see the SS search it. Donny looked surprised. What was Aldo that pissed about? He should know that Donny would sneak out to see Clara, so why all the fuss? He quickly strode over to the tent and got in. Also was smoking a large pipe and was draining a glass of clear brown Whisky when Donny entered.<p>

"What's up, boss?" he asked.

"Wicki told me that it was you who beat Clara up last night. And Utivich saw you crawling out her window after she got home. What were you thinking?" he asked angrily.

"There was no way Wicki could've beaten her convincingly. I saved our asses. Why are you so pissed about that?"

"Because someone saw you get out of her window! You can't just go off like that whenever you feel like it! This is my troop, and you follow my orders or you're out! You're my second, Donny, but that girl… she's getting the best of you. From now on, you'll only see her when I tell you to, understand?" Aldo shouted at him. Donny could see that this was not just about him being seen, there had to be something more.

"Understood. Is everything alright with her?" he asked.

"None of your fucking business!" Aldo gave back.

"Yes, it is. And you know that we would be good together. Tell me, is everything okay?" Donny gave back calmly. He knew when to take Aldo's commands and when not to. His boss let out a deep sigh and rubbed his forehead.

"That girl… damn it, Donny, I keep worrying about her. The SS are searching her house as we speak, but she suspected it, so everything's hidden. Somehow, though, I'm still anxious. They have her on their radar now, and she can't afford to lose her fake identity. I'm thinking about taking her out of the city."

Donny's eyes grew wide. "You mean, taking her in with us?"

"Not necessarily. Maybe I'll send her to these refugees we came across yesterday. Or maybe she should hide in a village. I don't know, Donny," Aldo said. The two men looked at each other for a few moments, before a distinct noise suddenly filled the air. Shock crawled onto their faces.

"Airstrike," Donny muttered and they were out of the tent in a flash. All of the Basterds were hiding under trees, everything that was visible from above was removed and they listened anxiously while the roaring of the machines came nearer. There had been several air raids during the last few months, but none came from that direction. The first planes appeared over their heads and they inhaled sharply when they saw how much and how big they were. All had the red communist hammer on their sides.

"Fucking Russians," Aldo muttered. Even though they were allies, he was never a big fan of air attacks. Too many civilians got killed. Donny on his side stiffened. Clara lived in a part of town that had been relatively spared by the attacks so far, making it a perfect target now. He needed to get to her. Fast.

* * *

><p>Clara was just chatting with Simon, a nice little boy from the neighbourhood, who often came to talk to her, when she heard the planes.<p>

"Get home, Simon! Hurry!" she shouted and the boy ran towards the door in a flash. She prayed he would make it down the three houses before the first bombs dropped. She quickly grabbed a few things and crossed the room to reach her cellar-door. On the way, she passed her big shop window and a scream almost escaped her lips. These planes were bigger than the ones who bombed Vienna before, and they were directly heading in her direction. She could hear the first explosions now, and the ground beneath her feet began to shake. Quickly, she hurried down into her basement and retreated into a corner. She lit an oil lamp and wrapped herself into a blanket she brought with. The explosions were getting louder and the earth quivered more and more. Dirt was slowly rippling from the ceiling and Clara started fearing for her life. These planes were just too big and too many. They would destroy the whole city, and she would die. Tears were running down her cheeks and she thought of her beloved grandfather. If he could see her right now, hiding in a basement, he would not be proud. But it was hard being all alone. She wiped her nose and Donny came to her mind. She would never see him again. Even though he scared her a bit, she had seen a soft side in him yesterday, a side that she so wanted to explore. Not anymore. Clara screamed when suddenly, the whole house seemed to shake and her lamp went out. The air was filled with a banging noise and Clara could feel dirt and stones falling on top of her. She could feel blood running down the side of her head, but before she could do anything, another explosion went off and everything around her went pitch-black.

* * *

><p>Translations:<p>

1. Ms Zotter, I Presume?

2. Now I know why my colleagues fall for you. You are breathtakingly beautiful.

3. Thank you, Colonel. I hope you won't turn my house completely upside down?

4. Oh, no, my men are just taking a look around. Your papers are alright, and you have a good reputation. This is just routine.

5. How rude of me! I haven't introduced myself. Colonel Hans Landa, at your service.

6. Colonel, we have finished the search. Nothing suspicious has been found.

7. Too bad, I was so looking forward to spending more time with you, Ms Zotter. How about we continue our conversation over dinner this evening? I still have a few more questions, you know.

8. You are too kind, Colonel. I would be very pleased.

9. Excellent. I'll send a car round at 7PM. I can't wait. Goodbye, Ms Zotter.


End file.
